WoW Forever name reservation: how to reserve a name, and why you can't

WoW Forever name reservation is open until 3 November to players who bought a Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection. To reserve a name, install Forever and create the character, up to three in total. Without one of those purchases, you claim your name at launch like everyone else.

All of this is Confirmed from Blizzard's reservation post and name post, unless marked otherwise.

How to reserve a name

1. Update your graphics drivers.
2. Install and open the Battle.net desktop app, and let it update.
3. Select World of Warcraft, then World of Warcraft: Forever in the Game Version menu, and install it.
4. Click Play and choose your ruleset.
5. Create up to three characters with the names you want.

The window opened on 27 October in Europe (18:00 CET) and North America (1:00 pm PDT), and on 28 October in Korea and Taiwan (07:00 local).

The rules

• Three characters in total across all rulesets. Two on PvP leaves you one for Normal or Roleplay. The limit only applies to the reservation period.
• First come, first served. Blizzard doesn't guarantee any name.
• Only the full name has to be unique, across your whole region. Asha Brightvale and Thalen Brightvale can both exist, in Blizzard's example.
• Names follow the code of conduct. Blizzard checks both parts together, so you can't split a restricted word across them.

Can't reserve a name

Go through these:

• No eligible purchase. A subscription alone doesn't include early reservation.
• Wrong WoW account. The benefit only applies to the WoW account you bought it for. If you have several, choose that one in the Battle.net dropdown.
• Already used three. You've reached the reservation limit.
• Name taken or restricted. Change either part, or use the random name generator.
• Faction limited. Players on the forums report temporary faction limits during reservation. Blizzard describes that system in general terms in its ruleset post, so we mark this one Unverified. See can't create a Horde character.
• Install greyed out. See install greyed out or not available.

Blizzard's post doesn't cover whether deleting a reserved character frees up a slot, so we don't know for sure. Some players report that it does.

After the window closes

Everyone else can create characters when servers open on 4 November at 3:00 pm PST. Have a few first and second names ready, because names are region-wide. You can hide your second name in the world under Options, then Nameplates, but it still shows in chat.

For the pack itself, see price and packs.